


Code Word Kisses

by LilyShadowWriter



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 5+1 Things, Canon Universe, Established Keith/Lance (Voltron), Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, Kissing, M/M, Mystery, One Shot, Public Displays of Affection, SO MUCH FLUFF, So much kissing, Sort of? Lol, klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-02 07:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16300697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyShadowWriter/pseuds/LilyShadowWriter
Summary: Five times Keith doesn't know why Lance just kissed him or why Hunk and Pidge keep laughing, and the one time he does.AKA, the fluffy fic in which Lance keeps kissing Keith in front of everyone and he's not exactly complaining, but he's also really confused....





	Code Word Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> This plot bunny hopped into my head and wouldn’t leave, so now you all get this fluffy Klance fic. This is the silliest and fluffiest story I’ve ever written I swear, lol. I think I just needed a break from the serious writing I do for [I Need You So Much Closer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15687042/chapters/36449007), so this one’s a fun, casual piece. Rated T for language and mild sensuality.
> 
> Oh, and this story kind of exists in a bubble on its own, but I imagine it taking place sometime during Season 2 in that it has that feel and takes place before the Lion changes. Also, as the tags say, Keith and Lance are in an established relationship. Perhaps in this timeline, a certain someone remembered a certain important bonding moment, lol.
> 
> Happy reading! ^.^

 

The first time _it_ happened it caught Keith completely off-guard. It’d been an otherwise uneventful evening and they were gathered in the kitchen, helping Hunk make cupcakes without having, well, nearly any of the ingredients for cupcakes. Or, more accurately, Keith and Pidge had been helping—Lance had been hindering.

“Quit it!” Hunk exclaimed, whacking Lance’s hand with a mixing spoon. “I’ve been patient, but that’s the fourth berry you’ve stolen!”

Lance pouted, pulling his hand back and rubbing it, but then a sly smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he caught Keith’s eye and mouthed, “ _Seventh_.” Keith fought back a snort and then flushed when Lance winked at him. He was pretty sure the Blue Paladin could wink at him about a hundred more times and it would still have the same effect as the first.

Ducking his head, Keith redoubled his efforts assembling handmade cupcake liners. He wasn’t as quick at it as Pidge, who was already surrounded by a dozen of them, but he thought his were neater, whereas Pidge’s looked like sad, crumbled bird nests. _They’re just gonna end up in the trash_ , she had pointed out, but Keith enjoyed making them, glad to have something to do with his hands.

Lance came up beside him, picking up one of the little cups and then placing it upside-down on Keith’s head. “Now you have a hat,” he happily announced. Keith narrowed his eyes and turned to give him a decidedly unimpressed look, which had Lance laughing so much that he had to turn away.

“You two are ridiculous,” Pidge muttered as she set aside yet another mutilated muffin holder.

“I think it’s cute,” Hunk said, tipping the remaining berries into the large mixing bowl in front of him.

Ignoring both comments, Keith asked, “Are they still cupcakes if they have fruits in them?”

“It’s not fruit that differentiates a muffin from a cupcake,” Hunk stated matter-of-factly. “It’s more in the mixing of the ingredients and the consistency of the batter. Cupcakes are smooth and fluffy, whereas muffins are a lot more dense.”

“Lance is a muffin,” Pidge solemnly proclaimed.

“HEY!”

Keith plucked a cupcake liner from the table and placed it upside-down on Lance’s head. “Nah,” he soothed, “he’s definitely a cupcake.”

A lopsided smile curved Lance’s lips, his deep blue eyes sparkling as they met Keith’s. “Either way I’m sweet,” he preened.

“Muffins can actually be savory as well,” Hunk informed them, and then casually slid the rest of the cupcake liners toward him, presumably so they couldn’t be turned into tiny hats too.

“Mm, see? Clearly a cupcake,” Keith concluded seriously.

Pidge rolled her eyes but couldn’t quite hide the smile that tugged at her mouth. “You two are _both_ muffins,” she teased, and then slid off her stool, closing her laptop and tucking it beneath her arm. “I’m gonna go do some work on the Green Lion.”

“What kind of work?” Keith asked with a frown. “Is there something wrong with the Green Lion?”

Hunk, Pidge, and Lance abruptly froze, the three exchanging glances before the most bizarre display unfolded before Keith’s eyes. Hunk’s hand flew up to his mouth, Pidge shouted and started pointing wildly, and Lance turned such a rich shade of coral that Keith felt his face crease with concern.

“Wha—” he started to say, but the word evaporated as Lance suddenly grabbed him, pulling him into such an enthusiastic kiss that their hats tumbled off their heads, the paper cups dramatically fluttering to the floor as Keith burned in his grasp.

It wasn’t their first kiss by any means, but it was the first time Lance had kissed him like this _in front of people_ as neither were particularly keen on public displays of affection. So, it wasn’t surprising that when Lance broke the kiss, they were both redder than the berries in Hunk’s makeshift cupcake mix.

“A-anyway, gotta go!” Lance stammered, and then darted away, leaving Keith in a gobsmacked daze while Hunk and Pidge dissolved into hysterical fits of laughter.

“He didn’t have to go that hard!” Pidge choked out.

“What do you mean? What was that?” Keith breathed, barely able to hear his words over the thudding of his heart. Hunk shook his head, wiping away tears, while Pidge excused herself and left the room, her continued laughter echoing through the large Altean corridors. Keith leveled a glare at Hunk, though the effect was somewhat lessened by his still reddened cheeks.

“Don’t worry about it, buddy,” Hunk said good-naturedly. “Help me fill these cups?”

Keith wrinkled his nose, but obliged, taking the seat Pidge had previously occupied and grabbing a spoon. As he scooped dollops of batter into the cups though he couldn’t help but do exactly that because _what the actual fuck_?

Unfortunately, it was only the beginning of Keith’s bewilderment.

* * *

The second time it happened Keith hadn’t been sure that was what occurred because it was so subtle and sweet. The Paladins had received instructions from Allura to investigate a distress signal pinging from a nearby planet, so they’d set off, leaving the castle bridge to go to their respective Lions.

Keith had already begun to feel a low growl emanating from Red, a fact which had his brows pinching in worry. If this was going to be another debacle like the so-called “rescuing” of Rolo and Nyma, he wanted to at least be prepared this time.

“You’re not getting any bad feelings about this, are you, Hunk?” Keith asked as they walked.

Hunk frowned, reaching up to tighten his headband. “No, why?”

“I’m not sure. The Red Lion seems agitated. I hope nothing’s wrong.”

Lance abruptly appeared at Keith’s side, taking his hand in his and bringing them to a stop as he captured Keith’s mouth in a kiss. This one was swift, but so supremely sweet that Keith melted into it, eyes falling shut and his heart stuttering. Lance pulled back gently and gave him such a roguish smile that warmth spread throughout every inch of his body.

“We’ll be okay,” Lance reassured him, and then broke off to hurry for the Blue Lion. Keith smiled to himself, but his happy bubble burst when he heard Hunk and Pidge snickering as they hurried away too.

“What was that about?” Shiro asked with a raise of his brow.

“Wish I knew,” Keith muttered under his breath. _What the hell was so funny?_

* * *

There was nothing dangerous or suspicious about the planet they visited. Red had merely been eager to get going and had been unimpressed by Keith’s less than lightning speed. She made up for it by bolting ahead of the others, soaring up through open space before descending in a dive that admittedly drew an exhilarated whoop from Keith’s lips. His smile only widened when he heard Lance’s laughter over the comms, the Blue Lion soon catching up to his as they playfully raced through the planet’s atmosphere.

It was an arid place, with mid-sized mountains painted with spirals of reds, purples, and golds that subtly sparkled beneath the sun’s rosy rays. It was also the site of the _third_ unexpected and very public kiss. They’d been attending a diplomatic meeting, The Paladins, Princess Allura, Coran, and several of the planet’s highest-ranking dignitaries all gathered around an enormous oblong table.

Keith sat sipping at the cool, minty drink they’d been served while Allura and Coran kept up polite conversation. The aliens of this land, the Iriarcus, reminded Keith of the mountains, their skin multi-hued and glittering beneath the golden lanterns strung across the ceiling. It was difficult not to stare, especially because they spoke a foreign language that no one save for Allura and Coran understood. It had a polished sound, a musical cadence reminiscent of a lyre being played, but they held themselves so rigidly that Keith couldn’t seem to relax. It dawned on him that the Iriarcus seemed nervous. If the Iriarcan Queen shared her people’s sentiments though, it didn’t show, her smooth face expressionless.

“Iriarcan scouts have reported Galra sightings on the outskirts of this planetary system,” Allura calmly relayed. “This has caused much concern for the Iriarcan people, for it seems inevitable that the Galra will try to overtake this planet as soon as they have it in their sights. Thus, they sent out a distress signal in the hopes of garnering support for a resistance against this imminent threat.”

Allura paused, folding her hands on the table and sitting up a little straighter. “They’ve heard whispers of Voltron but had not expected us to show up in person. Many among their number remain skeptical of what we can do. Some have even expressed doubts that the Lions even exist.”

“Pretty sure a high-flying air show will take care of that, Princess!” Lance suggested, striking a pose and unintentionally startling several of the Iriarcus. Allura blanched, saying a few quick placating words to them while Lance cringed and slunk down in his seat.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Keith spoke up, wanting to support his boyfriend. After all, it did sound like a plausible solution...even if the thought of putting on a show made Keith want to cringe and slink down in his seat too.

“Would they be amenable to this?” Shiro asked. Allura turned to the Iriarcan Queen, posing her question and then looking around the table as she repeated her question. It seemed to be a cultural practice to first address the Queen before speaking to those ranked below her. The Queen inclined her head slightly, which Keith took to mean she had no response and that the others were free to answer the question themselves. A few of the Iriarcus offered their opinions, and then Allura’s gaze shifted back to Shiro.

“Yes, only...quieter,” she added with a pointed glance at Lance. “The Iriarcus have an acute sensitivity to sound, so they’ve suggested that we simply have the Lions on display, so that they may come up and examine them at their comfort.”

“Nice. We’ll be like a living museum exhibit!” Lance whispered excitedly, sitting back up.

“‘Defenders of the Universe: Yup, They’re Lion Bots,’” Keith dryly commented. Lance stilled, and for a tick Keith feared his made-up exhibit name had somehow offended him, but then he turned, cupping the back of Keith’s neck and drawing him in for a wholly unexpected kiss. Keith gasped against his lips, but was helpless not to return it, the gentle brush of their mouths igniting his soul.

It was the briefest of these kisses yet, but somehow still left Keith feeling breathless and dazed. The entire table sat in suspended shock, though no one looked quite as horrified as Hunk and Pidge, who gaped wordlessly at Lance, their eyes as wide as the moon. Lance avoided their gazes, while Keith warily peered up at the Queen, but for the first time since the meeting began, she was smiling.

The Iriarcan Queen directed her attention toward Allura and then began to tell her something. Allura listened raptly, and Keith took it as a good sign that her expression softened, a smile eventually appearing on her face too. She nodded, and then once the Queen bowed her head, turned to the rest of them.

“She said you two remind her of her daughter and her wife, who have been away for quite some time trying to gather allies for this fight. It also heartens her to see love in such dire times,” Allura said.

Keith blushed deeply, while Lance dropped his head into his hands, ears a distinct shade of pink. The Queen began to speak again, likely about their war efforts as her tone became grave, and gradually the attention shifted off of them. Lance peeked out through a small gap in his fingers and then lowered his hands, breathing an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. Without looking at him, Keith took his hand, entwining their fingers between them and then squeezing. Lance squeezed back, and a smile rose to Keith’s face.

That time, love overcame any confusion he felt.

* * *

The fourth time it happened was when Keith knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that something strange was going on. It was the time that linked all the other times together and brought to light the fact that this was a pattern and not due to Lance’s excuse of, “ _I just felt like kissing you_.” This, admittedly, would have pissed Keith off if he hadn’t enjoyed it so much. Sure, he’d prefer it if the public displays of affection were private ones (though he got those too), but these weren’t all that bad—were maybe even a little thrilling, if he was being completely honest. What did piss Keith off though was the fact that he had no idea what was eliciting these kisses, or why the hell Hunk and Pidge would find them so comical.

The fourth time it happened unfortunately did not answer either of these questions. Keith had been talking to SHIRO of all people, which was perhaps the final sign that he needed to conclude that yes, something abnormal was indeed occurring. They were standing on the castle bridge, eyes trained on the inky depths before them. Space was simultaneously eerie and peaceful, like the sight of flames in the distance, or the deepest reaches of the ocean.

“I know you’d be a good leader,” Shiro said, standing at parade rest and still staring forward.

Keith clenched his jaw, folding his arms across his chest. “I don’t understand why you keep bringing this up,” he said, his words clipped. “Do you know something we don’t?”

“No, but we have to be prepared, and with Zarkon so set on finding the Black Lion, we have to be realistic and understand that something _could_ happen to me, and if it does, I need you ready to step up.”

“I don’t want to talk about this,” Keith replied, his brows lowering.

“Neither do I, but we have to,” Shiro stated quietly. He glanced over at Keith, his stern expression giving way to sympathy. “Hey, I wouldn’t turn to you if I didn’t think you were absolutely capable of doing this. Plus, you wouldn’t be alone. You have Lance, and if I’m not mistaken, you’ve become pretty good friends with Hunk and Pidge too. You’d have everyone’s help and support.”

Keith pinched the bridge of his nose and then sighed, relenting. ‘Fine,” he muttered, “but nothing’s going to happen to you.”

Shiro smiled thinly. It didn’t reach his eyes. Keith’s stomach gave an uneasy turn. Maybe he was merely being realistic, but the thought of potentially losing Shiro again made his ribs feel too small for his lungs. He was the only family Keith had left. Would the universe be that cruel? As if reading his thoughts, Shiro gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. Somewhere in the distance he could hear the others laughing.

“I’m proud of you by the way—for opening up to the others. For making friends and, you know, a little more too,” Shiro stated with a smirk.

Keith flushed, elbowing him in the side. “Shut _up_ ,” he groaned, which only made Shiro chuckle.

“What? I’m just _heartened to see love in such dire times_ ,” he said in a goofy falsetto, draping the back of his hand across his forehead in a swoon.

“Fuck off!” Keith moved to jab him again, but Shiro sidestepped and he overbalanced, nearly falling on his ass before Shiro caught him, both of them laughing at this point. “Ugh, you’re the worst,” Keith complained, fighting back another smile.

“You two are just lucky the Iriarcan Queen is a romantic,” he said soberly. “I mean, really? Kissing during a diplomatic meeting?”

Keith made a show of straightening his jacket, decidedly avoiding Shiro’s eyes, though he seemed to be looking at something over his shoulder anyway. “Yeah, well, it wasn’t my idea,” he said. “Also, I’m sure you’ve done worse! I’m going to get the Black Lion to reveal all your secrets and then we’ll see who’s laughing!”

A sharp, familiar inhale sounded from behind him, but before Keith could turn he was twirled around and lowered in an honest-to-God dip kiss. Keith’s leg flew up, his arms instinctively wrapping around Lance’s neck as he scrambled to keep from collapsing in a heap on the floor. Despite its intensity, the kiss was surprisingly tender, sending an ache through his heart and making him privately glad Lance had a firm hold of him because otherwise he wasn’t sure he’d be able to support his weight.

Lance spun Keith back to his feet, the two breathless and blushing like ripened apples. They might have stood there staring at one another for ages if it weren’t for the sound of Pidge screaming and laughing.

“OH MY GOD!” she shouted. “OH MY GOD!”

“Gotta go!” Lance sang out, and then gave chase, Pidge shrieking and nearly falling over as she scrambled to get away. “YEAH, YOU BETTER RUN!” he yelled, and then disappeared around the corner along with Pidge’s resounding laughter.

Shiro shifted awkwardly and reached up to rub the back of his neck. “So, is this some sort of weird game you guys are playing?” he asked.

Keith blinked, standing stock-still and feeling quite certain his soul had exited his body. “Uhhh,” he answered intelligently. Chuckling, Shiro ruffled his hair and then left him alone with his thoughts, likely off to fit in some more training before dinner.

_Some sort of weird game...._

Was that what was happening? Keith pressed his lips together, his brows furrowing. There was only one way to find out.

*

Keith waited in the shadows, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. It was only a matter of time. As if on cue, the sound of approaching footsteps perked up Keith’s ears. The sliding door opened, and then the lights flickered on as someone entered the large, open kitchen.

“Hello, Hunk,” Keith greeted ominously.

Hunk yelped, his hand flying to his chest and his eyes snapping comically wide as he jumped. “Oh man, Keith. I didn’t see you there!” he gasped.

“That was the idea,” he said, pushing off the wall and then striding up to the counter, where a variety of cooking utensils were neatly laid out.

“Uh....” Hunk said, tapping his pointer fingers together and looking around nervously. “Am I missing something here?”

“Nope,” Keith said, popping the ‘p.’ “Just thought I’d come and ask you a few questions.” He picked up a spoon, making a show of examining it before putting it back down and selecting a spatula instead.

Hunk gulped audibly. “What kind of questions?” he asked, taking a step toward the exit.

“The kind you’re going to answer lest you want to see these kitchen utensils sucked out of an air lock.”

“You wouldn’t,” Hunk gasped.

“You sure about that, friend?”

“This isn’t very nice, Keith!”

“What? I’m nice as fuck, now tell me what I want to know or else the kitchen gets it!” Keith demanded, holding up the spatula threateningly. Hunk glanced at the spatula and then looked back at Keith. Keith looked at the spatula and then looked back at Hunk, and then the two were doubled over with laughter, clutching their stomachs as they cramped.

“I can’t believe you planned an ambush!” Hunk barely managed to say.

“I can’t believe I ordered these kitchen utensils by size and use,” Keith admitted. Hunk’s gaze flickered to the counter, and then they were lost to a renewed bout of laughter.

“Jeez,” Hunk said, wiping his eyes. “What did you even want to know?”

Keith drew in a breath, putting down the spatula and then placing his hands flat on the counter. “What in the _hell_ is going on with you, Lance, and Pidge?” he asked. “You know with the whole—” Keith faltered, a blush coloring his cheeks.

“Ah,” Hunk said, taking a seat on one of the stools and scratching the back of his head. “I guess you should probably know.”

“You guess?” Keith deadpanned.

Hunk smiled sheepishly. “It’s nothing bad. Just...uh....” He hunched his shoulders, trying to make himself less conspicuous. “The three of us were playing Truth or Dare, and well, Pidge kind of sort of may have dared Lance to, uh....”

“To...?”

“Well, for the rest of the week, if we’re around and you say a certain secret word, Lance has to kiss you,” he replied in a rush.

Keith dragged a hand down his face and groaned. “Seriously? Why? Like, why that dare?”

Hunk rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I think Pidge just wanted something she knew would embarrass Lance. And you know, you two like, never kiss in public, which is fine, but that’s also how she knew it’d be extra embarrassing.”

“She wasn’t wrong,” Keith grumbled. “So, what’s the secret word?”

“Can’t tell you. It’s not worth my life,” Hunk stated fervently. Keith nodded in understanding, fully knowledgeable about Pidge’s capabilities.

“Alright,” he said. “I’ll just figure it out myself.”

Hunk grinned. “You’ve got three more days. Good luck, buddy.”

* * *

It was the day before the dare expired that the fifth time occurred, and this time, Keith was ready for it. Well, not ready, because he hadn’t figured out the code word, but he was prepared for the possibility of it happening. If this meant he was slightly nervous every time he spoke, worrying that the next word out of his mouth would trigger a very public kiss, then so be it.

This time, they were watching a movie. Every one of them had collected blankets and pillows from around the castle and piled them up in the living area, creating a nest within which they all settled as they gazed up at the large holographic display. Allura, Coran, and Shiro had claimed the central couch, while Hunk stretched out on the leftmost couch with Pidge wrapped in a cocoon at his feet, the glare of the screen reflecting off her round glasses. Lance and Keith leaned against the rightmost couch, but chose to sit on the floor like Pidge, cuddled close and surrounded by pillows that Lance had bravely battled for and won.

They munched on various snacks Hunk had prepared, including the berry cupcakes, which were a few days old now but still tasted moist and delicious. As they were still in the same planetary system as the Iriarcus, helping to fortify their defenses and plan, they were able to pick up on their radio signals, an Iriarcan film playing on the display. Language was not a barrier as the Iriarcus were evidently partial to silent films. The music was so riveting though and the Iriarcus so expressive, that they were drawn right into the story, sweets held halfway to their mouths as they stared wide-eyed at the screen.

“He’s going to kill her, isn’t he?” Lance whispered in horror.

“Too obvious,” Keith murmured. “Plus, he’s a coward. He’ll probably hire someone else to do it.”

“No way,” Pidge chimed in, pushing her glasses up on her nose. “He’ll try to win her over to his side. She has knowledge he needs. He’d be stupid to off her.”

“That’s what I’d do,” Coran disconcertingly agreed.

“I’d just steal the information,” Keith supplied.

“Mm, and would you wear a bandana over your mouth as a disguise?” Lance teased, and then giggled when Keith poked him in the side. “Stop it! I’m ticklish!”

Keith smirked deviously. “Oh, I know, babe, I know.” Lance pouted, but cuddled into him regardless, scooting down some so he could wrap his arms around Keith’s waist. Keith turned to press a kiss to the top of his head before returning his attention to the screen.

As it turned out, the Iriarcan in question got what he needed not through murder, assassination, charm, or thievery, but through good old-fashioned blackmail. Simple, but effective. What he hadn’t anticipated though was his target having incriminating blackmail against him too.

“Man, these guys are ruthless,” Hunk said, anxiously sipping at his water pouch.

“I can’t stand it! Someone tell me what happens!” Allura cried, hugging her knees to her chest and then watching with wide eyes anyway.

The screen abruptly flickered off, and they all shouted in protest as they were cast into darkness.

“Hang on! I’ve got it!” Coran said, leaping over the back of the couch and hurrying up to the display. The screen turned back on, illuminating the room in pale aqua light, but unfortunately the signal had been lost. “I believe I can fix this,” he said with a confident nod. “Just give me a moment!” Coran ran off to the castle bridge to access the main controls while everyone else waited in anticipation.

“You can’t say they don’t know drama,” Shiro commented, gesturing vaguely at the screen with his Galra prosthetic.

“You can say that again,” Hunk agreed. “I wouldn’t have guessed it. They seem really like, reserved, you know? Like when they came up to see the Yellow Lion, they just looked up at him in awe, totally silent.”

Pidge stretched her arms up over her head and yawned. “Yeah,” she said. “I got the impression they keep their cards close to their chest. I think they value subtly and secrets.”

“Makes sense,” Keith said with a nod. “Probably something they learn because the kids were a lot more laidback. One of them even tried to climb onto the Red Lion’s paw before her mom picked her up.”

Lance suddenly tensing was Keith’s only warning that he had spoken the secret word, but it was the only warning he needed because yeah, this time he was prepared. This time when Lance turned Keith’s head with a gentle hand on his cheek and leaned up to kiss him he was ready. No more being caught off-guard! No more being frozen into a dazed stupor! This time Keith took control, grasping Lance’s face with both hands and coaxing him into a deeper kiss, tongue seeking his—because two could play at this game.

This, however, kind of turned out to be a mistake. Because Keith had forgotten for a very critical tick that Lance was really, well, _responsive_ , and so his actions had the completely unintended effect of wrenching a small, keening moan from Lance’s throat. In front of everyone. _Shit!_

They stiffened, and then Lance jerked back, his face crimson as he cried out, “Oh my god!” and promptly threw a blanket over his head. Meanwhile, Allura and Shiro were grimacing while Hunk looked like he’d been slapped by a duck and Pidge spluttered incoherently, clearly not having meant _this_ by her dare.

“EXCUSE ME!” she finally shouted, gesturing blindly. “WE’RE RIGHT HERE!”

Keith covered his mouth with the back of his hand, feeling a laugh bubble up, but finally couldn’t hold back any longer and inexplicably burst out laughing. Because yeah, oh my god? Lance groaned, curling into a ball beneath his blanket, and Keith only laughed harder, tears forming in his eyes.

“Sorry!” he choked out, and then was thankfully saved by the movie starting back up. A bit disturbed, everyone turned their attention back to the screen, and they were soon joined by Coran, who took back his seat completely oblivious to what had transpired.

Once the others seemed sufficiently distracted, Keith leaned down, tugging at Lance’s blanket until his boyfriend unfurled, lying on his back and poking his head out, frowning. Keith smiled, and then scooted down further so he was lying on his side next to him. He nuzzled his face into Lance’s neck, his smile broadening as Lance let out a quiet laugh.

“I love you,” Keith murmured against the delicate skin beneath Lance’s ear. Lance trembled and turned on his side too before moving closer and burying his face in Keith’s chest.

“I love you too,” he mumbled. Keith hummed contentedly and carded Lance’s hair, quietly comforting him.

As thrilling as this dare could be, it was evident it needed to come an end before either, or both of them, spontaneously combusted and it would soon, but Keith wanted to figure out the word before then. He was, in fact, determined to do so. All he needed was a little more time....

* * *

The Iriarcan planet had an ocean. Its lethally high salinity made swimming in it infeasible, but it was wondrous to behold, reflecting the colorful mountains on its surface and glittering so brightly that Keith had to shield his eyes to look at it. The Paladins were assisting the Iriarcus in setting up strategically placed sensors in case the Galra managed to land on the planet without being detected. The last of them they had set up here, but the view had been too enchanting to immediately leave.

Keith watched with a pang of sympathy as Lance gazed longingly out at the sea, his deep blue eyes glimmering in the sparkling light. He walked up beside him, taking Lance’s hand, and the couple watched as the sun’s rays played over the stretching teal waters. At the shoreline, Shiro showed Hunk and Pidge how to skip stones, the group laughing at failed attempts and cheering successful ones.

“We should probably head back to the Lions soon,” Keith spoke up hesitantly. He chanced a glance at Lance’s face, watching as a smile curved the Blue Paladin’s mouth. A moment of confusion stole over him, and then Lance turned, lowering his head to press his lips against Keith’s. The kiss was soft, unhurried, and full of revelation. Keith gasped, his eyes widening as he pulled back some. Oh. _Oh!_

“Lion,” he repeated incredulously, and Lance smiled still more, cupping Keith’s cheek and bending to kiss him again. “Lion,” he mumbled against Lance’s plush lips. Another kiss, deeper still; a hand at his waist, drawing him nearer. Their armor clacked as they met.

“You figured it out,” Lance said, sounding amused.

“I figured it out,” Keith confirmed, running his fingers up Lance’s sides.

Lance brushed his nose against his, a handsome smile still gracing his lips. “Clever boy,” he replied in a low, teasing lilt.

Keith shivered, only one word left on the tip of his tongue: “ _Lion_.”

~*~

 

**Author's Note:**

> SO, WHAT DID YOU ALL THINK!? I've never written a silly fluff piece like this, so I'm dying to know your opinions!! If you have any questions, comments, or other feedback, please, please don't hesitate to leave it. Hope to hear from you and thank you sincerely for reading! I hoped you enjoyed this bit of sugary fun :)
> 
> OH, and you can catch me on my Voltron Tumblr @[lilywritesvld](https://lilywritesvld.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> EDIT: Ahhh! There's an art piece for this now! Subtlehysteria did a freaking adorable drawing of the "honest-to-God" dip kiss which you can see [HERE](https://subtlehysteria.tumblr.com/post/179240461328/something-silly-for-lilywritesvlds-fic-code-word)! Go check it out and give the artist some love! I KNOW I DID <333333


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